1) A good ride – when I was a kid my friends mattered – I mean they really mattered. I think a great part of who I am is due to the fact that I had great friends. I’m grateful that my sons have gravitated towards good friends who have been a great influence on my boys. I also know that when my boys are out and about with their friends they are riding in the cars of good responsible friends. I’m hoping and praying that it stays that way.

2) Cutting expenses – We all know that the economy has been tough and that we have had to tighten our belts and our wallets to survive from day to day. As part of our commitment to stay ahead of our expenses we have decided to cut back on some of life’s finer things like satellite TV. Why is this great? Well for starters it has forced us as a family to do what we used to do back when television wasn’t such a huge part of American culture: we are actually communicating and spending time together as a family.

3) Good tires – Utah’s first snow storm hit us a few days ago and I can’t emphasize the importance of good tires. While people are slipping and sliding around on the icy roads we have so far managed to travel the roads safely. Some of it is coincidence, some of it luck, a lot of divine intervention and lastly a bit of fear and good tires. Let’s hope it all holds up.

4) Cyclone Evan – I’m absolutely devastated by the news from my beloved Samoa that Cyclone Evan is wreaking havoc on our beautiful islands. I’m putting this on the table for one reason only and let me clarify that this is not a great thing but what happens in times like this is what great – we come to understand how important it is to be prepared and how grateful we can be as a people to have the ability to help those in need. I’m hoping that in the aftermath we can band together and help in the cleanup effort and the support of Samoa.

5) Jazz games – Speaking of great friends, No. 2 has some great ones. He often gets calls from those friends to do some fun things. For instance, last night, he got a call from one of his best friends to take in a Jazz game. Friends mean more than just going to fun activities but when you know that friends are thinking of you all the time, it means a lot. It’s nice to be loved.

6) Boxing – No. 1 expressed interest in doing a bit of boxing to really help build his core and his confidence. Last night, thanks to my bro Wayne it happened and he had an awesome time. He came home beaming, excited about the things that he learned and even more excited about the prospect of continuing in the sport. I’m wondering if we should make this more of a family thing because everyone knows that I could use some work on my core.